


Six Weeks

by IllegalCerebral



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Best Friends, Comfort Food, Cooking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Female Friendship, Fluffy Ending, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Season/Series 13 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-07 06:05:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12227229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllegalCerebral/pseuds/IllegalCerebral
Summary: I was asked by someone on tumblr if I could write a fic for a friend who was going through a rough time and the season thirteen opener gave me some inspiration.





	Six Weeks

The apartment was dark save for the crack of sunlight cast across the room. Emily wanted to go and tug the curtains shut but she couldn’t quite bring herself clamber out of bed.

Things hadn’t felt this bad since she was in Paris. Once she had recovered from her injuries and could move around it felt like she was living in a kind of zombie state for a while and the same thing had happened when the director had told the team to take six weeks off following Scratch’s death. Initially Emily had the distraction of making sure Matt was transferred to the team and then busying herself making sure Spencer could receive the support he needed in order to be reinstated (the director was  _not_  happy with Rossi’s decision in the field) and then making sure everyone else was okay. Then after that…

She hadn’t left the apartment in about two weeks.

As she was mustering up the energy to go to the curtains Emily heard a clatter from her kitchen. Every nerve in her body was suddenly inflamed. In a swift movement she grabbed her gun from the bedside drawer and headed out into the hall. There was another metal clang.

And then singing?

Emily lowered her gun and paused. 

Yep, definitely singing and since it seemed unlikely that an armed intruder with ill intent would break into “All The Single Ladies” she relaxed. 

“Woah-oh-oh woah-oh-hi Emily!” Garcia beamed at her as she threw some eggs into the pan she’d set up.

“What are you doing Penelope?”

“Making omelettes.”

“No I mean what are you doing in my apartment?”

“Wheels up” said Garcia with a shrug before turning to chop peppers. 

Emily blinked. Garcia had tidied up too. The windows were thrown open to let the air in, her furniture was straightened and the empty bottles of tequila were stacked neatly by three full trash bags.

“I’ll take them out while your eating” said Garcia, noting Emily’s stare.

“How did you get in?” asked Emily. Garcia threw the peppers into the omelette. The smell was delicious and Emily mouth started to water. 

“Sit” commanded Garcia, pointing to a stool that she’s pulled out in anticipation “I have still have a key from when…from when you were in Paris.”

Emily was about to protest when Sergio leapt up onto the counter.

“Hey buddy!” said Emily, scooping him up into her arms “You brought him for a visit?”  
  
“I figured he could stay a while” said Garcia, plating up the omelette “I thought it would be nice for you. But no pets at the table while we’re eating. Eat up!”

The food was tasty and comforting and once Emily took her first bite she barely paused for breath. Along with the omelette was warm croissants, a steaming post of coffee and a bowl of fresh fruit and yogurt. Emily hadn’t realised how hungry she was. Garcia busied herself taking out the trash then loading the dishwasher.

“Penelope” Emily said gently after the food was demolished “What’s all this for?”  
  
“Wheels. Up.” said Garcia again, not breaking eye contact. Emily felt her throat grow tight.

“Listen I-”

“Nuh uh uh shush!” commanded Penelope “I’m talking now boss lady. You are hurting and that is normal. You think you’ve failed us, failed Stephen in some way and that is normal too. I know you feel like it isn’t going to get better but it is because your family loves you and we are all hurting with you but we’re also gonna heal with you okay?”

“Okay” said Emily quietly.

“I brought these as well” Garcia said, producing a sparkly pink and gold box from under the counter. When Emily opened it it was filled with bath bombs, shower gels, and creams of various flavours.

“Penelope this is too much-”

“Emily I can smell you from here. It really isn’t too much” said Garcia with a wink.

“I…I guess I forgot to shower?”

“It’s okay, go and run the bath and I’m going to air the rest of the rooms in your apartment and then I’ll get started on the fort”

“Fort? Garcia I’m a grown woman, I run a highly respected unit in-”

“You don’t want a fort to eat snacks and watch chick flicks in all day?” asked Garcia.

There was a really long pause.

“I didn’t say that” pouted Emily.

“Yeah I thought so. Okay. Go get all sparkly squeaky clean oh glorious leader!”

Emily obeyed and came out of her bathroom and hour and a half later smelling like a mixture of passionfruit and coconut with a thin film of glitter on her skin. In her living room Garcia had built a structure that any architect would be proud of and there were bowls of pretzels, candy and popcorn ready to go.

“I wasn’t sure what you had or hadn’t seen so I brought all my DVDs from home” said Garcia, who had changed into bunny pyjamas “Grab a blanket and get under here!”

Emily grinned and made her way inside feeling happy, loved and safe.


End file.
